The present disclosure relates to signal electric potential conversion circuits which convert a potential of an input signal to transfer signals having different potentials.
In recent transistors, along with miniaturization of the transistors, an operation voltage has been reduced. A voltage standard of external interfaces is predetermined, and integrated circuits have to be operated at, e.g., 5 V or 3.3 V to be able to be connected to conventional devices. Therefore, level shift circuits (signal electric potential conversion circuits) have been used to transmit or receive signals driven by miniaturized transistors and signals driven at, e.g., 5 V or 3.3 V. In particular, it is useful to use an AC coupling circuit in which a capacitor and a resistance are used in order to transmit a high-speed signal.
Japanese Patent No. 4076079 discloses, as an example of a signal electric potential conversion circuit in which AC coupling is used, a configuration which can correctly maintain output data by allowing an amplifier to have an offset input and offsetting the amplifier by a potential difference of input signals.